334 The Canadian Horticulturist. 



THE AMERICAN WHITE ELM. 



OOD professional landscape gardeners and architects do 

 not need any more information about this tree ; I am not 

 writing with a view of trying to instruct them, but because 

 so many who are not of the profession have erred in not 

 assigning it situations for which it is most suitable. 



This much, however, may be said about many trees, 

 both native and foreign, but at present I will only mention 

 the elm. If I were to speak of the elm as a forest tree I would tell you about a 

 straight stick of square timber seventy-five feet long, which was gotten out of a 

 swamp forest by a negro near here a few years ago, but just now I will speak of 

 it only as a shade and ornamental tree. 



For parks, avenues, village streets and school grounds no tree is so well 

 adapted. Its high arching branches affording ample shade for comfort, without 

 dense foliage like some other trees, which preclude the free circulation of air, 

 which often is of more importance than shade. 



Lately I drove over a road, two miles of which is straight and nearly level, 

 lined on either side with a straight monotonous row of hard maples growing 

 rather closely together. Their low spreading branches meeting over the road, 

 and giving the roadway somewhat the appearance of a dismal tunnel, which 

 during summer time is kept continually in a muddy state. I would not be 

 understood as offering one word of disparagement of the maple. They are, when 

 judiciously appropriated, both beautiful and useful, but a tree which is ornamental 

 and useful in certain places, may be unnecessary and unpleasing in other places. 

 For shelter belts, sometimes called wind breaks. I would not recommend elms, 

 because they soon override other trees of less robust growth, such as maples, 

 beeches, birches, oaks, hickorys, walnuts and lindens. The elm is a magestic 

 tree, and needs more head-room than any tree that I know of. 



Elms send out wide spreading roots near the surface devouring what plant 

 nourishment the soil may contain, hence they should not be planted near fruit 

 trees of any kind. 



As a wayside tree the elm is peculiarly adapted, not only because of the 

 lofty arch its branches form, but being free from low spreading branches, under 

 its shade many wild flowering plants and shrubs thrive finely ; thus beautifying 

 the road margins, which, under a dense shade, are usuaMy covered with dead tree 

 leaves, preventing even the growth of native ferns. 



Speaking of wayside adornment brings to my mind the most beautiful piece 

 of road I ever travelled ; many miles of which there grows on either side a great 

 variety of native trees, planted by nature at irregular distances, with an under- 

 growth of ferns, wild flowers and shrubs, with occasional open views of lakes 



